Seventh Grade, Cooking & Food Science Science Experiments (Page 9)

Steamy Standing Time: How Food Size Impacts Carryover Cooking

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

"What? My food needs some standing time? How can food stand? I don't see any legs on those baked potatoes!" Whether you're using a traditional oven or a microwave, standing time is an important concept in cooking or baking. When you remove a food from an oven or a microwave, the food retains heat and continues to cook for several minutes after it has been removed from the heat source. This process of the food continuing to cook, using the retained heat in the food itself, is called carryover… Read more

The Art & Science of Making Yummy Yogurt

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Yogurt is a very versatile dairy product. It's yummy eaten straight from the container, it is good for your digestive system, and it can be used in several ways for cooking. There is historical evidence that yogurt-making developed 4,500 years ago! Humans depended on yogurt-making as a way to preserve milk. Yogurt is the result of bacterial fermentation of milk. In fermentation, the bacteria consume the milk sugar, lactose, and produce lactic acid. The end-product is a thick, creamy, and tangy… Read more

The Curdling Properties of Different Milks: How to Avoid Little Miss Muffet's Curds

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Has a milk-based soup, sauce, or gravy ever curdled on you (formed lumps) as you were preparing it? Curdling is the process of coagulation that occurs where the proteins in the milk clump together. Sometimes curdling is desirable—for example, if you want to make a delicious cheese or yogurt—but if you are trying to make a milk-based soup or gratin, or if you're adding milk to a hot drink, curdling is very unwanted because you lose the smooth, creamy texture. Nobody likes clumps and… Read more

The Fluffiest Muffins: Flour Type and Muffin Density

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Here's a project idea for all of you bakers out there. What happens if you try your favorite muffin recipe with different types of flour (e.g., white, whole wheat, rye, soy, etc.)? Think of ways you can measure the results. How would you measure the density of a muffin? A kitchen scale would definitely be useful for this project, both for measuring the results and for portioning out the batter for equal-sized muffins. What other measures might be of interest? (Nakajima, 2005) Read more

The Pasta Puzzle: How Much Water is Required to Cook Pasta?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

A plate of spaghetti, meatballs, and marinara sauce is a delicious and comforting meal. It's also an inexpensive meal, because it only costs about $12 to feed a family of four. And it's easy to make when you're on the go and need to eat a quick, but healthy dinner. Just boil a big pot of water, throw in your favorite pasta, cook for 11 minutes, drain, and top with meatballs and warm marinara sauce. Quick and cheap! But sometimes it feels like forever when you are waiting for water to boil,… Read more

The Process of Soft-Boiling an Egg

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Sometimes on a busy day, it is hard to get things done. The rush to get things done can start first thing in the morning, when you are so busy getting ready and gathering your homework, that you barely have time for breakfast. It takes time to get a nutritious meal ready. But, eggs are a perfect choice for breakfast because they can be cooked quickly and in many different ways. A soft-boiled egg is a choice that many people make. They like the way the thickened, tasty yolk coats their hash… Read more

The Role of Fats in Making a Delicious Pastry

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Apple pie is one of America's traditional desserts. It can be enjoyed on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cool sweetness of the ice cream combines with the warm apples and flaky pastry to create a taste sensation. However, if the pastry that surrounds the apples is heavy or chewy then that can really affect how much you enjoy this treat. But how do you make a pastry that is light and flaky? In this cooking and food science fair project, you will find out by experimenting with… Read more

The Sweet Beginnings of Caramelization

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Caramelization is the name of the cooking process that occurs as sugar is heated and the molecules begin to break apart. But what happens to the sugar as it breaks apart? And what do the physical changes mean for the flavor of the sugar? Using the Internet or cookbooks, read up on the chemistry of caramelization, then head to the kitchen with an adult to caramelize your own batch of sugar. With an adult's help, dissolve 1 1/3 cups of sugar in 2/3 cup of water. Heat the mixture in a pan over… Read more

Tough Beans: Which Cooking Liquids Slow Softening the Most?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

OK, spill the beans, what's your favorite bean-rich food? Burritos? Chili? Or maybe you prefer the spicy Indian stew of lentils, known as dal? But what about fried tofu? Soymilk? Or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Did you know those foods come from beans as well? Beans are important to the diets of many people, and in this cooking and food science fair project, you'll learn how the liquid that beans are cooked in affects how quickly or slowly they soften. Read more

What's the Best Way to Guarantee Fresh Bread?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever bitten into a slice of bread only to find that it no longer seems fresh? Instead, it has the firm, undesirable texture that comes about when the bread is going stale. Chemically, what happens during the staling process? Can it be reversed (at least temporarily)? Do some background research to answer these questions and then apply those answers to one (or more) of the following experiments to find the optimal state to keep your bread fresh. Experiment 1: What Temperature Keeps… Read more

Seventh Grade, Cooking & Food Science Science Experiments (121 results)

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